The present invention relates generally to the field of seals configured to pressure seal large annular gaps, and more particularly to elastomeric seals configured to provide lateral support of a missile within its canister and to seal the annular gap between the missile and its launch canister.
Annular seals configured to fill the annular gap between the outer surface of a missile and the inner surface of its launch canister perform two critical functions during the storage and launch of a missile, viz., to provide a suitable sliding gas seal within the annular gap against excessive launch pressure leakage, and to provide sufficient lateral support of the missile within its canister. These seals are generally of two types: canister mounted seals are configured to be mounted to the inner surface of the canister and remain inside the canister upon launch of the missile; missile mounted seals are characteristically mounted to the outer surface of the missile (or to a deployable mounting means attached thereto) and are expelled from the canister along with the missile. Upon launch of the missile, missile mounted seals are normally ejected from the missile surface by spring means or explosive charges. Both the canister mounted seal and the missile mounted seal may typically comprise solid elastomers because the relatively high strength and temperature resistance which characterize certain of these elastomers make them particularly suitable.
Existing configurations of the missile mounted type often include a great number of individual elastomeric support pads attached to the outer surface of the missile. Depending on the location of placement on the missile surface, either spring or explosive release means are utilized to jettison the support pads upon launch of the missile. These configurations suffer the disadvantage of requiring the means, either on the missile or incorporated into the pad structure, to separate the pads from the missile upon launch. Further, under certain launch conditions, the jettisoned pads could fall onto and damage ground facilities or impact the missile sufficient to damage the missile or otherwise interfere with its operation.
The present invention provides a novel support system for a canister-launched missile which eliminates or substantially reduces in critical importance the aforesaid disadvantages characterizing existing missile mounted pad configurations. The invention comprises a plurality of long, narrow elastomeric pads disposed along a substantial portion of the length of the missile within the annular gap between missile and canister, each pad hingedly attached at its upper end to the canister and configured to slide out of the canister with the missile upon launch and be pulled away from the missile by reason of the hinged connection as the missile exits the canister. As a consequence, the elastomeric pads provide sufficient gas seal to minimize loss of launch pressure, safe jettisoning of the pads upon launch is ensured, and the energy delivered to the pads is minimized.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an improved support for a missile within its launch canister.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved means for sealing the annular gap between a missile and its launch canister to minimize loss of launch pressure.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a support system for a canister-launched missile which is jettisoned upon launch with minimal expenditure of energy.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent as the detailed description of specific representative embodiments thereof proceeds.